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Monday, February 11, 2008

RED HOT RACE WEEK

Ok, it is now race week. We leave on Friday morning for Moab for the Red Hot 50K. I don't know if I am excited or if I am dreading it. I have mixed feelings right now. Since this is my first real year playing in the world of ultra marathons every race is going to scare me I think. I will get more into my thoughts about this race in a second, first lets look below at what I did last week for training.

Monday: Off, I was wiped from the weekend

Tuesday: Run 6.5 miles; Stairmaster 20mins

Wednesday: Run 7 miles; Swim 45 mins; Weights 30 mins

Thursday: Run 8 miles

Friday: Run 2 miles; Stairmaster 30 mins

Saturday: Run 9 miles in the am; Snowshoe 3 hours in the afternoon at Mount Evans

Sunday: Run 6 miles at 8am; Run 6 miles at noon; Run 6 miles at 5pm. Run 18 total.

Total miles ran this week 50.75

Now how am I going to run this race, the Red Hot 50K this coming weekend? I have mauled this over and over in my head. I think because of the fact that I need to keep training after the race, the next day, and that I will not be tapering that this will be like a super long run. I will run/walk it at an easy pace until I cross the finish line. I really do not care what my time is like I did at my first 50K (4:31) last Sept. I just want to keep moving forward and have a good time, I may even carry a camera with me and take pictures along the way. I think my goal should be to finish between 6 and 7 hours. Based on last years results that should put me right in the middle of the pack which is fine by me. I would like to get up the next morning and do another trail run while we are out there in Moab, even if it is only 3 miles long.

In case anyone out there is running this race but has not gotten the e-mail from the race director I have copied it below. Have a great week and I will post a race report next week.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello Red Hot Runners,

First, I would like to thank you for participating in this year’s event. I also would like to go over on what to expect at this year’s race. First, due to the numbers, we will be having a pre race day packet pick-up on Friday the 15Th starting at 5:00 pm continuing to 7:00 pm. You can pick your packet up at the Moab Music Festival Office located at 58 East 300 South, located in the same building as the Advertiser.Parking is limited at the start line and the finish line, we highly recommend carpooling. Some overflow parking is available in the campground right before the poison spider trailhead at the finish.There will still be packet pick up on Saturday starting at 6:30 am at the start line. Drop bags (50K only) will be collected on Saturday morning at the start line. Write your bib#, aid station number, and name on each of your drop bags. We recommend you get to the start line by 6:45. My aid station crews will be leaving at 7:15 to their locations. Other than that, I still recommend 7:15 at the latest. The 50k will start at 8:00 am SHARP and the 33k will be off at 8:30 sharp! There also will be no day of the race switching, from the 50k to 33k or visa versa. If you do switch during the race, you will not be officially recorded.This year’s flagging will be bright pink indicating where to follow and red indicating the wrong way. The course will be well flagged just like last year. This year it has been very cold and wet, so there may be ice and light snow in some sections, so please be careful.Our aid station vehicles are limited on space, so try to limit on what you put in your drop bags. Aid stations will be stocked with CytoMax, water, salt, candy bars, PB and J, limited HammerGel, potato chips, peanuts, Heed, etc... There is a 10 hour time limit for both races but there is not an official cut off time at any of the stations. But if one of our aid stations does not think you will make it, to the Poison Spider trail head, by 6:00 pm, they can pull you from the course. If you insist to go on, you will need to remove your bib and give it to the aid station attendant. From that point you will be responsible for yourself. I do not recommend going on in the dark on Golden Spike! Please check the website for mileage and the correct station number to put on your drop bag. Aid station 1 will be used as station 3 just to make that clear too.The finish line will be at Poison Spider trail head which is mile 34 for the 50k and mile 21 for the 33k. There will be an official timing company recording your finishes and they will be posted throughout the day. Awards will be given to the top three in each category: overall male, overall female, master male, master female.We do have two shuttle vans that will be taking people back to the finish line to pick up your vehicles. The shuttles will start about 11:30 am and will run until not needed. We will be providing water and other drinks at the finish. We also will provide a small lunch to each of the runners. That will be a potato soup served in a fresh bread bowl. Please be considerate because there is just enough for all runners to have one meal.At 7:30 pm Eddie McStiffs has donated a space in his restaurant for a private Red Hot party. We will provide the keg of beer but to show our appreciation to Eddie, lets have dinner in the Mcstiffs restaurant. Also, If you go in the night before to eat dinner and show your bib to your server, you will receive a 15% discount on your meal.Thank you again and I hope you enjoy this course as much as we do.Chris Martinez, Greg Poettgen-Race Directors